Interchangeable-picture frame.



A. ABRAHAM.

INTERGHANGEABLE' PICTURE FRAME. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 29, 1911.

Patented July 29, 1913.

2 SHEETBSHAEET 1.

A. ABRAHAM. INTEROHANGEABLE PICTURE FRAME. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 29,1911.

1,968,621. Patented July 29,1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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ADOLPH ABRAHAM, or ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS.

INTERICHANGEABLE-PICTURE To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADoLPH AlSRliHAM, a citizen of the United States, residmg at Rockford, in the county of Winnebago and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Interchange able-Picture Frames, of which the following is a specification.

- "This invention relates to picture frames and has for its object the provision of a comparatively simple and thoroughly etficient device of this character having a plurality of interchangeable pictures or cards mounted thereon so that by changing the posit-ion of said cards with relation to the transparent front of the frame the subject matter ofthe picture being displayed may be varied at will.

A further object is to provide a picture frame having a pocket arranged at the rear thereof for the reception of a series of reversible display cards, means being provided for retaining the cards within said pocket.

A further object is to provide each display card or picture with a marginal reinforcing strip or border, so as to prevent tear- I ing of the cards and also prevent the ornamental or embossed face of one card from coming in contact with the embossed face of an adjacent card.

-A still further object of the invention is generally to improve this class of devices so as to increase their utility, durabilityand efliciency.

Further objects and advantages will appear in the following description, it being understood that various changes in form,

proportions and minor details of construction may be resortedto within the scope of the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a picture frame constructed in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2'is a vertical sectional view of the same; Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view; Fig. 4 is a detail per spective view of a portion of one of the display cards or pictures, removed from the frame; Fig. 5 is a, perspective view of the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 29, 1911.

Patented July 29, 1913.. Serial No. 646,751.

illustrating a modified form of the invention; Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view of Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view; Fig. 9 is a horizontal sectional view, illustrating a further modification; Fig. 10 is a detail perspective view of a portion of a display card, showing a different form of reinforcing edge or binder.

Corresponding and like parts are referred casing detached; Fig. 6 is a front elevation, v

to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The device comprises a frame 5, preferably rectangular in shape as shown and formed of wood or other suitable material, said frame being "provided with the usual display opening and having its rear face rabbeted at 6 to receive a transparent front or glass 7.

Secured to the rear face of the frame, is a casing or pocket 8, preferably stamped or otherwise formed from a single strip of metal, three of the edges of which are bent laterally to form attaching flanges 9 which bear against the rear of the frame and are permanently secured theretoby nails or similar fastening devices 10. One longitudinal edge of the casing or pocket 8 is spaced from the rear face of the frame to form a month 11 to permit the introduction and removal of the display pictures orcards, indi-' cated at 12. The cards 12 are preferably reversible, that is to say,

each side thereof is provided with an embossed or otherwiseerably provided witha marginal reinforcing edge or border 13 to prevent the embossed face of one card from coming in contact with the embossed face of an adjacent card and also to assist in reinforcing the cards and shifting the position" of said cards. The border 13 may be formed of heavy cardboard, but is preferably made of a strip of yieldable surface to an adjacent card and assist in preventing injury to said cards.

A tab 14 is extended laterally from one preventing injury thereto when .canton flannel so as to present a smooth edge of each card and normally projects erator when removing the cards or changing the position thereof within the pocket. The

-metal at the mouth 11 of the casing is pressed orstamped inwardly to produce a longitudinally disposed rib 15 which bears against the rear card in the pocket and serves to prevent accidental displacement of the card the free edge of the metal at the rib 15 b ing bent upwardly to form a curved lip 16 whereby a smooth surface will be presented to the cards or pictures and mutilation thereof during insertion or withdrawal is avoided. The metal forming the back of the'pocket or casing 8 is also provided with a series of spaced indentations or pro]ections 17 adapted to bear against the rear card in the pocket and assist in holding the front card in said pocket against the transparent medium 7. The inner face of the pocket or casing 8 is preferably covered with a strip of yieldable material such as canton flannel 18, While a relatively narrow strip 19 of the same material is secured to the rear face of the frame at the mouth 11 to prevent injury to the cards when introducing or withdrawing said cards from the pocket. The canton flannel or other textile material used for cushioning will not wear smooth and hard but will always exert suflicient frictional resistance to prevent accidental disturbance and withdrawal of the cards.

Y It will here be noted that the canton flannel .18 is extended upwardly and serves to cover the rib 15 and also the lip 16 so as not to present any rough or irregular edges for contact with the cards. It will also be noted that the attaching flanges of the casing orpocket 8 overlap the glass 7 and serve to prevent accidental displacement of said glass. Thus it will be seen that by grasping the tab 14 on the picture at the display opening and reversing said picture, or. shifting the rear picture in the pocket to the front thereof, the nature or character of the picture displayed at the opening may be varied at will.

In Figs. 6 to 8 of the drawings, there is illustrated a modified form of theinvention, in which the molding forming the rear of the picture frame is extended laterally beyond the glass 7 and connected by a strip of cardboard or other suitable material 20 to form a picture receiving pocket 8', said pocket openingthrough one end of the frame and having its rear end closed. In this form of the device, the'transparent plate 7 is slidably mountd in grooves 20 formed in the side walls of, the pocket and is held I within said grooves bya retaining strip 22,

preferably covered with flannel 22', the construction and operation of the device being otherwise similar to that shown in. Fig. 1 of the drawings.

A further modification is illustrated in Fig. 9 of the drawings, in which the pocket is formed by attaching an extra strip of molding 23 to the rear face of the frame and connecting said extra molding strip by a plate or closure 24. This form of the device is particularly adapted for use in connection with flat wide frames and is so constructed that the glass maybe tilted rearwardly or entirely removed from the frame to facilitate cleaning thereof.

The display cards or pictures used in connection with the frame shown in Fig. 9-

'or the drawin s, are preferably devoid of reand each having a border of textile cushioning material, said cards being. movable successively to display position at the opening in the frame. y

2. A picture frame having its rear face rabbeted, a transparent plate seated in the rabbeted edge of the picture frame, a casing secured to the rear face of the frame and spaced from the plate to form an intermediate pocket, one side of the casing being open and the material at said open side being pressed inwardly to form a longitudinal rib and thence laterally to form a curved lip, .a strip of yieldable material covering the inner ace of the casing and extending over the rib andlip, and a narrow strip of yieldable material secured to the rear face of the frame opposite said lip, said strip and said rib co-acting to prevent withdrawal of cards placed in the pocket.

3. A picture frame having a display opening'and its rear face rabbeted, a transparent plate seated in the rabbeted edge of the frame and extending across said display opening, a casing having attaching flanges overlapping the transparent plate and seeach provided with a marginal border, In testimon whereof, I aflix my signature yieldable materiel covering the walls of the in presence 0 two witnesses.

pocket and extending over the rib and lip, ADOLPH ABRAHAM. [1,. s.] respectively, and a strip of yieldable ma- .Witnesses: 5 terial secured to the rear of the frame and H. D. A TOMLINBEN,

spaced from the rib. H. B. ANDREWS. 

